People watch file footage on a TV news program reporting North Korea's latest missile launch, at Seoul Station, Sunday. North Korea test-fired eight ballistic missiles off to the East Sea, marking the 18th round of missile provocations this year alone. AP-Yonhap

North Korea fires 8 ballistic missiles after South Korea-U.S. naval drill

By Nam Hyun-woo

North Korea fired eight short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) into the East Sea, Sunday, in an apparent reaction to a joint naval drill between South Korea and the U.S. carried out in the Philippine Sea from Thursday until Saturday.

President Yoon Suk-yeol enters the presidential office to attend a National Security Council meeting after North Korea fired eight ballistic missiles into the East Sea, Sunday. Joint Press Corps

The launches mark the 18th missile provocation by North Korea this year and this is virtually the first time that the regime has fired eight ballistic missiles in a salvo. With officials saying that Pyongyang's nuclear test is imminent, Sunday's launches are ratcheting up tensions further on the Korean Peninsula, as the North showcases its capability to strike multiple targets at the same time.

According to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), the missiles were fired consecutively from 9:08 a.m. to 9:43 a.m. from four sites in the area of Sunan near the North's capital Pyongyang, South and North Pyongan Provinces and South Hamhung Province.

The JCS said the SRBMs flew a distance of 110 kilometers to 670 kilometers at altitudes ranging between 25 kilometers and 90 kilometers and at speeds of Mach 3 to 6. Although the JCS did not reveal more details of the missiles, sources said the launches are assumed to have involved the KN-23, KN-24 and KN-25.

Recently, the North has been concentrating on launching multiple missiles consecutively. On May 25, the regime fired one intercontinental ballistic missile and two SRBMs at the same time. Along with Sunday's launches, the North appears to be showing off its capability to avoid South Korean and U.S. missile defense systems.

Following the launch, President Yoon Suk-yeol convened a meeting of South Korea's National Security Council and concluded that the launches were "a serious challenge and test to the (South Korean) government's national security posture."

During the meeting, Yoon noted that the North has "staged provocations approximately every nine days this year alone" and ordered the military to "strengthen the Seoul-Washington extended deterrence, including missile defense exercises."

Extended deterrence refers to Washington's commitment to providing its nuclear capabilities to defend its allies.

Allies fire 8 missiles in show of firepower against N. Korea's latest provocation: JCS